The word is "reticulocyte", which refers to baby red blood cells, the immature ones that form in the bone marrow and then become mature red blood cells in the circulation blood, if all goes well.

A test of your reticulocyte count is often ordered if your red blood cell count is low, and it can help diagnose what's wrong. But perhaps that test was a normal part of testing your blood, and not an extra test that the doctor specifically ordered.

When the reticulocyte count is high, it could mean that you're producing extra immature red cells because your circulating blood needs more mature red cells. That, in turn, could happen if not enough red blood cells are maturing, or if they mature but are being destroyed prematurely due to a condition or illness.

If your count is only slightly high, and you don't have an abnormally low red blood cell count, hematocrit count, or hemoglobin count, then this may not concern the doctor. Otherwise, it's something the doctor is likely to talk to you about.

Bottom line: I wouldn't panic about a high reticulocyte count, but it's fine to ask the doctor about it at your next appointment.